Hello, darkness

Balls deep. Hellacopter-itis: the condition that results when Scandinavian band is finally, after years of genius, in the right place at the right time, with huge American label support, and delivers the most boring album of its career. (See "Grande Rock", also "Scandinavian Leather.") Then, just when you've got done apologizing for them, they return to genius -- too late, of course, for any of your friends to believe you.

New Turbonegro album, Party Animals, is on some back-to-dungaree-high shit. Captain Max is on record as being disappointed, but I'm beginning to think he's too young to appreciate Apocalypse Dudes. (No hard feelings, Max -- get at me if/when listening party at Regen goes down.) And, like AD in its time, PA not coming out here anytime soon. Here: not the best song on the album, just the one that's downloadable -- go get "All My Friends Are Dead" here.

Speaking of darkness, the fact that Shania's hubby is keeping these guys huddled up in the studio is good news: they'll hate him by the end of it, but so did Def Leppard.

Delinquents in thrall to the above already know about Canadian rockthroner Danko Jones (coming soon to a Bear's Place near you April 27); over at Stylus, Danko turns us on to an evil Toronto metal band called Cursed: